AAR - EA bless (Helheim) owerpowered on med+ map ?

[CharonJr]

Turn 8

Arco fielded about 40 defenders (all except 4 from PD, looks like the AI raised it quite a bit), but despite being pressed my 1st division was albe to beat them while losing 9 spearmen.

My 2nd divions meet with about 40 Arcos (mainly militias and light infantries with some heavy infantries, flyers and chariots) in the Marshlands and was able to route them. 1 Helhirding was lost in the attack.

The 3rd division took Feldan Forest from the indies without any losses. There is an arena in Feldan which provides 25 gold.

Niefelheim has 30 militias/hurlers to the west of Fenica who are supported by 5 giants and 1 Gygja who is radiating power.

Sauros forces of about 60 lancers/archers moved to the southeast and might attack me or take the indie plains of Hubbarton which I consider mine, but at the moment there is nothing I can do about either Niefel or Sauro.

The second Hanga will help with the research while I recruit 1 Helkarl and 7 HHs for my 4th division. Archers/heavy infantries will be recruited in the other provinces again.

The 6 remaining Helhirdings of the 2nd divison might not be enough to face the reported 60 Arcos (militas, light infantry, bear tribe warriors) in Rotmarsh and I send them to support the siege. Either those Arcos will come to me anyway or wreck some havoc in my lightly defended provinces. In this case I will use my 4th division with its 14 Helhirdings to mop up.

1st divison will continue its siege while the 3rd will attack Oak Woods and either join the siege or retake the Marshlands (if Arco takes it) on the following turn.





I try to recruit the Farstrikers merc band in my capital for 165 gold in order to progress south and secure my southern border.

Since I am fairly sure that I will lose either the Marshlands or Citala to Arco this turn I set both taxes to 200%

I would love to build some temples/forts, but at the moment expansion/destroying Arco seem to be more important.

CharonJr

[CharonJr]

Turn 9

Arco attacked the Marshlands with about 20 militias and archers and easily beat the lonly PD there.

The 30 indie militias/archers/heavy infantry in Oak Woods were killed by the 3rd while losing one of my Helhirdings.

Arco split its forces in Rotmarsh and send about half to the Marshlands while the other half took the indie province to the south. Seems like he does not consider the siege of his capital to be a serious threat, I hope that he is wrong about this...

Niefel keeps its troops on my border, but has made no further progress.

Sauro did what I have been afraid of and took the plains, threatening to move north into the province (Florien) I plan to take with some heavy infantries/archers from Carnag in addition to the Farstrikers from my capital which I have been able to recruit.

The newly raised 4th division will relieve the 3rd in Oak Woods which will try to retake the Marshlands and keep pressure on the Arco units away from the capital.





It would be nice if Sauro and Niefel went to war about the indie province west of Carnag, but I doubt it...

1 more Hanga is recruited and 7 HHs again, but this time I recruit an additional 6 mounted hirdmen as potential rear-rushers if the cold war with Sauro should turn hot over Florien. They might be used as a mop-up force also, if Arco continues to move its troops in my territory.

CharonJr

[CharonJr]

Turn 10

20 Arco archers and militias tried to break the siege of the Arco capital, but were annihilated without a single loss to my troops.

About 40 Arco militias, light infantries and archers defended the Marshlands. They were unable to stop my 3rd division, but managed to kill 1 Helhirding.

Sauro did attack Florien this turn and destroyed the independents there, but were thown out of the province by my heavy infantry and the Farstrikers. 24 Sauro lancers and archers were killed with 2 of their commanders (1 commander and 23 troops escaped) while I suffered the loss of 12 archers and heavy infantries (3 form the Farstrikers).

The walls of Arco are still holding and since they keep some troops in the field taking provinces instead of ordering them back to defend their capital I feel that I have to increase the pressure.

3rd and 4th division will join the siege now, which should enable me to storm the walls fairly soon (defense value of a fortified city is "only" 250).

1 Helkarl, 7 Helhirdings and 7 more Mounted Hirdmen are recruited in my capital. If the Arco division in Midland should get aggressive towards me I am fairly confident that I have enough firepower in my currently being build 5th division to squash them.




Some additional archers and heavy infantries are recruited throughout the realm.

At the last minute I decided that the mercs should earn their pay and my own troops will understand the importance of expansion instead of definding. The 2 divisions from Florien and send SE to take the lightly defended indie province of Ligrea, possibly meeting superior forces from Arco and Sauro there...

I keep asking myself what Niefel is up to and am very interested to see what Sauro will make of the little misunderstanding that lead to our border incident...

CharonJr

[CharonJr]

Quick question: If a fortress turns neutral during a siege, do I have to do anything special, or will my forces continue the siege ?

The orders still say siege, but IIRC I had some problems in another game with a fortress becoming neutral during a siege.

CharonJr

[CharonJr]

Hmm, nobody has any idea ?

Oh well, since I already made a mistake and this AAR is for educational purposes I will just let them keep on sieging and see what happens

CharonJr

[Nerfix]

I think that if a fort turns neutral you can conquer if automaticly without a fight when you storm it. Not sure. Happened once to me.

Good going BTW.

[CharonJr]

Turn 11

As expected Arco did attack the indie province of Ligrea and beat them, but made the mistake to split its troops again. About 40 bear warriors, wind riders and some chariots took my lightly defended province of Citala without any problems (had it at 200% tax for the last 2 turns).

The remaining 20 bear tribe warriors, light infantries and militias managed to beat the indies without too many losses, but were no match for my 2 divisions. Sadly my commander and most of my forces were killed, with the Farstrikers only taking light casualties.

We founds some nature gems in the Feldan Forest and some of my units in the Marshlands were cursed for collecting some gems from a vengefull witch.

My dormant breathen managed to wake up from their sleep this turn while I will be confined to this prison for 2 more years...

The Arco walls are still holding, tbut their end should be near.

A new commander is recruited in Ligrea in order to lead my remaining archers. Meanwhile I will give a farewell present to the Farstrikers and send them to the lightly defended Arco province of Midland. After my troops took the brunt of the attacks (still 27 Farstrikers left) that seems only fair to me (I never claimed to be a nice god )...

It seems like Sauro understood what I tried to tell him by taking Florien and finally took the indie province seperating them from Niefel - this might get interesting

During the siege I reorganise my divisons there and transfer the troops of the 3rd and 4th to the 1st and 2nd, which gives them about 16 Helhirdings each. Allsvinn and Gunnlaug - the commanders of the 3rd and 4th move towards the capital in order to lead new troops.

The 5th division will set out to the Marshlands in order to defend the province and either help with the siege or take some of the remaining Arco provinces. It is composed of 14 Helhirdings and 13 Mouted Hirdmen with orders to hold and attack rear. Quite a formidable force.





In order to strengthen my forces on the Sauro border the 8 earth gems are alchemised (if this is even a word...).


CharonJr

[CharonJr]

12 provinces on turn 11 and Arco more or less out of the game, I can't complain here.

But I am a bit disappointed by the AI. I can't understand why Arco keeps going after indie or my provinces instead of moving every trooper it has to the defense of the capital.

I they had another town I might have been able to understand this, but when I take their capital it will be game-over for Arco at this early stage of the game.

IMO if the only fort an AI has is threatened by ample forces to breach the walls it should switch to "save the realm" mode and stop trying to expand/harrass.

CharonJr

[Nerfix]

Hmmm, usual AI rushes people to kill your besieging troops. Unusual.

[CharonJr]

Turn 12

Research up to Thaum 2 was completed this turn and I will try to reach construction 4 next for some path-boosters and Legions of Steel at Con3.

The Farstrikers took the lightly defended province of Midlands without any problems and left my services for a tour with Vanheim.

Arco took Summerlands from my archer defenders with about 20 bear tribe warriors, 6 chariots, 6 Windriders and 2 Myrmidons.

But right after this battle Wyglia, the god of Arco succumbed to its final death due to dominon loss. My prophet at the Arco capital had managed to establish my dominion in Arco's capital province on the turn before. This leaves me to bang on the walls of a now independent fort.

Allsvinn and Gunnlaug continue their slow march through thick forests back to my capital. In hindsight it would have been save to move them via the now secured Marshlands, but better safe than sorry...

On a sour note the lightly defended former Arco province of Mite Marsh in the NE is now held by about 50 indie knights and militias.

5th division will set out to retake Rotmarsh from about 70 indie Bear Tribe Warriors, light infantries and archers.

The way north is "blocked" by 2 indie provinces containing 40 of either heavy infantry and elephants or heavy infantry and heavy cavaleries. But I want to head north since the Sauro capital should be around there. In addition I am fairly confident that 40 heavy infantry and cav will be unable to stop my 30+ Helhirings. But for the moment they keep sieging that ex-Arco fort.

1 Helkarl and 7 Helhirdings are levied with some addition archers and heavy infantries throughout the realm.

3 merc regiments would become available on the next turn, but I lack the money (and the will) to hire them at the moment.

The strong Niefel force west of Fenica has me worried, but with my fast 5th division (3 moves) and the troops I recruit this turn I am confident that I could break a siege of my capital if I had to. With 4 Hanga's in the capital and their skills in death magic (D3) in addition to 3 Helkarls (D1) I am fairly confident that I could frighten away some of this force.




Well, the end of Arco was a bit of an anticlimax...


CharonJr